Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-24
The SUEZ CANAL
How Ite Business is Directed from an Office
~ Terrepl0in, Near sues.


~ TsrrepIein, Near sues.
The number of ships in the canal ut
the same time is sometimes very great.
On the 9Th day of December, 1886, for
instance, fifteen steamers cleared the
canal, OF which seven were outward
bound. On the previous day nine
ships cleared, and on the following day
seven, so that during the 9Th some thir-
ty ships were probably at one time in
the canal. Sometimes there are az
many as forty, and all are completely
under the control OF the French gem
tleman sitting at his desk in an upper
chamber at Terreplein. The method
OF working is exceedingly simple.
Against the wall ut one side of the
room is y narrow shelf OF platform,
along which runs groove. At inter-
walls this trough or groove has deep re-
eesses. and ut two places these recesses
are OF larger size This trough or
groove represents the canal. The res
cesses are the sidings. The larger in
walls are the Great Bitter lake and Lake
Timsoh. When n vessel has been sig-
nailed and is about to enter the canal at
bteJS LLlC OuCA ClANiS OOfbO Ot
model, three or four inches long, rs
chosen to represent her. 4 group OF
these model ships stand ready beside
the model canal, each furnished with
flag. About forty have the English
flag, ten or ID dozen the French flag,
and so on with other nationalities. As
the steamer comes up and her name is
known it is written on paper and placed
on the toy boat. The whole number
of ships thus actually in the canal al
any moment can be seen at a glancci
and, as the telegraphic signals give
notice, the toy boats are moved along,
or placed in Il siding. or shown tr;lvers'
ing one of the lakes at full speed.
Signals are sent f, ON the office TO the
various ''gares' prescribing the siding
at which each ship must stJp to Act All
other meet and pass it. The ofiiciSI
who is on duty keeps the models ho"-
ing as he receives notice, taking care
when two ships going in opposite dirc,S
tons are both nearing the same siding
to give timely warning to the pilots In
charge by means of the signal balls and
flags at each station under his control
lIOIn Inc OluCCy siIlu ~ "a
the two is 70 lie up and which to pro
coed. Barring accidents, the whole ar
rangement goes like clockwork; tho
clerk can read off in a moment tho
tonnage, nationality, draught and ac-
tual situation of every steamer; he
can tell what pilot she has OH board
what is her breadth of beam, what rate
she is moving at, and every thing else
which has to be known about her; and
he is able without an effort to govern ali
her movements, tn prescribe the place
where she is to pass the night, and the
hour she is TO get under way in the
morning, although he does not see her,
and probably never saw her in his life
The fees which vessels pay for passing |
through the canal are often enormous
Some of the large liners of the z. IL O. |
or the Orient service pay as much as
e., 800 in making single transit. For
every passenger half a napoleon or
eight shillings four pence is charged
Three-fourths of the ships that 20
through the canal are English.-SGt
urddy RcUtclO.